Bomb scare can’t stop prayer wall construction

Forget a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. A few dozen members of Congress are working on a wall of prayer that would encircle the entire country.

Indeed, the West Front of the Capitol took on the atmosphere of a down-home revival Wednesday, as roughly 40 members participated in a “call to prayer for America.”

But before they could recognize the power of prayer and ask Americans to pray for their country five minutes per week, members and spectators alike had to clear off the steps as Capitol Police inspected an unattended suspicious package.

Undeterred, they relocated to the West Lawn, where the regularly scheduled revival continued, sans amplification. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., assumed the duty of flag bearer.

Shouting to be heard, Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., the founder of the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation, referred to the “enormous power in prayer.”

He asked “those will join with us to agree to pray for five minutes per week for our country. As these few become thousands, we will build a spiritual prayer wall around America 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Mike McIntyre, R-N.C., then encouraged the crowd to visit PrayerCaucus.org and sign up for a five-minute block of time to pray for the country.

The idea, explained Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, was hatched by Forbes and the group of bipartisan members who gather every Wednesday morning in room 219 of the Capitol.

A few other members got some “amens” and “yessirs” from the crowd, such as Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., who declared that “the spirit of the Lord is here on the West front of the Capitol.” Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, pointed to the pin he wears on his coat every day, which states: “God is good all the time.”

Meanwhile, in a separate event, the Christian Defense Coalition held an event to celebrate the Stations of the Cross — a re-enactment of the crucifixion. Participants started in front of Union Station and proceeded across Capitol Hill carrying a 7-foot wooden cross.

Shepherd waltzes, dons an apron, Tennessee-style

Freshman Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., may not have won the culinary competition Tuesday night at the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala at the National Building Museum. He did, however, take the prize for coolest guest.

Cybill Shepherd, currently acting on Showtime’s “The L Word,” accompanied Cohen to the event, and even donned the apron alongside him in his booth as they prepared and served grits and cornmeal BBQ tasties. (At the annual event, members of Congress and their spouses prepare the appetizers for the crowd, using family recipes.)

The star of “Moonlighting” and “Taxi Driver,” who was in town with her co-stars this weekend for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network’s 15th Annual National Dinner, is from Cohen’s district in Memphis.

“They’ve known each other for many years, and she’s been a supporter of his for a long time,” a Cohen spokeswoman said.

At dinner, she sat right in front of the stage, when the Wright Touch Band launched into “The Tennessee Waltz.” According to bandleader David Wright, when she recognized the song, Shepherd “with her escorts came up to the side of the stage and very courteously asked if she could sing.”

He said her pipes weren’t bad, either. They offered to change the key for her, but she declined and still hit some of the lower alto notes in the song.

After thanking everyone, she humbly said, “And I am Cybill Shepherd” before leaving the stage.

Jon Voight multitasks in D.C.

In a town filled with busy people, perhaps no one is busier than Oscar-winner Jon Voight this week.

For starters, Voight is here with co-stars Nicolas Cage and Harvey Keitel, among others, to film “National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets.”

He’s also promoting “September Dawn,” a movie of his to be released May 4. The film is about the massacre of 150 pioneers by a group of Mormons on Sept. 11, 1857.

The movie is relevant, he said, because “if people understand the possibilities” of religious extremism, “future horrors can be avoided. … I’m jumping around and saying hello to people who are interested.”

Among them: Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., and the Center for Security Policy and Weekly Standard Executive Editor Fred Barnes, with whom he had lunch at the Mayflower on Wednesday.

“I’ve seen him on Fox News; he’s one of the good guys,” Voight said.

He said of his many Washington-based roles, his favorite was as President Roosevelt in “Pearl Harbor,” but he added, “I’ve played a lot of real sleazy people.”

Drescher as Roy Rogers

Actress Fran Drescher was in town this week to launch her new women’s cancer initiative, Cancer Schmancer, at the home of Hogan & Hartson’s Dr. Christine Warnke.

Drescher, a survivor of uterine cancer herself, won laughs from the crowd when she said, “I got in the stirrups more times than Roy Rogers” — a reference to the fact that she had to see eight doctors to get the correct diagnosis.

While she spoke, a woman nearly fainted. Drescher called for a chair and a glass of water. The woman later apologized, saying she was so into everything Drescher said.

Think tank

“What should be Alberto Gonzales’s next job?”

“Press secretary for Sen. Chuck Schumer.” – Danielle Jones, The Hotline

“He could head up a temp agency because everyone you hire is only temporary anyway.” – Chuck Conconi, Qorvis Communications

“The Capitol Steps.” – Howard Mortman, New Media Strategies